You’ve probably noticed that hurricanes have people names despite being meteorological phenomena, and you may have wondered how hurricane names are chosen and who decides what they will be called.
We’ve got answers.
How are hurricane names chosen?
Before 1953, arbitrary names or identification numbers were used, which often caused confusion. Since then, an organized and rotating naming system has been established.
Every year, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) compiles lists of names for each region with tropical cyclones, such as the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. These lists include both male and female names.
Hurricane names are used in a cycle that repeats every six years. This means that a specific name list is recycled after that period, but there are some names that are retired, and we’ll explain why later.
Why are hurricanes given names?
Hurricanes are assigned names for several reasons.
First, giving names to hurricanes facilitates communication and identification of storms among meteorologists, government agencies, media, and the general public.
Names provide a clear and concise method for referring to specific storms and prevent confusion when multiple storms occur simultaneously.
Moreover, names help to track storms and provide more effective forecasts. When a hurricane is named, it becomes an individualized object that is easier to track and analyze, which is crucial for issuing accurate warnings and forecasts.
Naming each of these meteorological phenomena differently prevents confusion in regions where multiple hurricanes occur simultaneously.
It is also useful to name them to create a historical record of storms and weather events. This allows scientists, researchers, and authorities to study and analyze weather patterns and trends over time.
Characteristics of hurricane names
Hurricane names are used to identify and track tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic and Pacific basins. We list the main characteristics for naming a hurricane.
- Names by gender, allowing for equitable gender distribution and is a common practice in most basins.
- Use of international names that reflect the diversity of cultures in hurricane-affected regions. The names come from different countries and regions of the world.
- Short and easy-to-pronounce names, as they are used in forecasts and emergency communications.
Hurricane Names List
When a hurricane forms in any ocean, its name is already known. In fact, the names of cyclones that will occur in the future have been known for years. This is because the WMO already has a designated list of names for hurricanes for a period of six years. After that period, the list is repeated.
These names were originally assigned every two years and were chosen alphabetically. It wasn’t until 1979 that this six-year listing was done.
For each hurricane season, names are assigned according to the region; that is, for those occurring near Mexico, names we can easily identify with are used, such as Ingrid, Paulina, Alberto, or Rafael, and those occurring in the United States would have names like Florence, Katrina, Bud, Gordon, etc.
List of names for hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean
Here you can check the historical records and the lists of hurricanes that are yet to come in the Atlantic, up to 2023.
List of names for hurricanes in the Pacific
Here you can check the historical records and the lists of hurricanes that are yet to come in the Pacific, up to 2023.
Retired names from the list
There are names for cyclones that are never reused.
The criterion for a name to be removed from the list is that it has caused a lot of damage, both human and material. Ingrid, Katrina, Wilma, Harvey, and Otto are just a few of the names that have been removed from the lists. It will probably happen with Otis.
Names removed from the list since 1954
Here you can check the historical records and the lists of hurricanes that are yet to come in the Pacific.
*This article was originally published in 2021 and revised in October 2023 by the Cultura Colectiva staff.
